The Chair of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners made it clear to members he had appointing authority to update the composition of the Ottawa County Housing Commission.
“And kind of take it in slightly new direction that will have more, I guess you might say, more of a practitioners in housing, real estate development, that kind of thing.”
During Tuesday’s public meeting, Chair Joe Moss recommended removing from the housing commission Hope College’s Dr. Virginia Beard, senior attorney Thomas Reinsma from Scholten Fant law firm and the lone Democratic County commissioner Joe Zylstra.
Republican Ottawa County Commissioner Roger Bergman voiced his disapproval.
“So, we are changing the makeup of the board to make it more political? Is that correct? That’s what it sounds like to me.”
Moss answered, “no.”
Chair Moss motioned to appoint area realtor Jared Schuitema, developer and builder Klynt Marcusse and County Administrator John Gibbs.
“Who has a significant background with housing coming from HUD and a great understanding of it. Like to see his involvement with the housing commission.”
During the Trump administration, Gibbs served at Housing and Urban Development as Acting Assistant Secretary for Community and Development answering to then Secretary Ben Carson.
The board voted 8-3 in favor of Chair Moss’s housing commission appointments.
